Motion: Nothing without its clients

TORONTO – Motion, a mobility and home access provider, commemorated International Persons with Disabilities Day on Dec. 3 with its own “5 Days of Caring,” but “putting the client at the center of what we do” is a yearlong goal for the company, says CEO Sue Gilpin. 

“With persons in vulnerable positions, like disabilities, it’s important to wrap around them, building that awareness and showing that commitment,” she said. 

Here’s what Gilpin had to say about how Motion, which has 51 locations in five provinces and employs more than 700, honors not only their clients but also their employees. 

HME News: What did “5 Days of Caring” look like this year? 

Sue Gilpin: This year, we donated to a charity in each province that supports our clients, but we also wanted to honor our employees for the impact they have on the lives of those clients. We did breakfasts and lunches. We did a gratitude board where we posted notes from clients and Google reviews. We also asked for nominations for top employees – we received hundreds – and selected a number of them to recognize. 

HME: Motion implemented other initiatives in 2022 to honor clients, like its Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee and its first client ambassador. 

Gilpin: The IDEA Committee was developed by a group of employees who believed there was a need to have this community to learn, listen, reflect, understand and advocate around the accessibility space. A lot of the work we’ve done so far has focused around the Indigenous people and the barriers they’re facing. 

HME: What about your client ambassador? 

Gilpin: Beau Hayward has been our client ambassador and we’re adding Brianna Seewald as a client ambassador. The government here has an accessibility campaign called “Nothing without us.” We want their involvement; we want their perspective; we want their input. Who am I to sit here and come up with ideas when I’m able-bodied? We need them to help us ensure we have accessible spaces in our offices and that we’re promoting inclusion within our organization and communities. 

HME: When you were named CEO of Motion in May of 2022, you weren’t new to the company. You were previously senior director, people and operations, West, for the company. But when you started your new role, did anything surprise you? 

Gilpin: When I started as CEO, I went on ride-alongs with sales consultants. On one of those, an adult client who has been with the same consultant since they were a child was getting a chair with tilt and recline. It was like Christmas morning for that client. He was screaming: “I can reach the fridge; I can help with laundry.” It was pretty remarkable. I was in tears.